Record-card filing device



A. M.V MARTIN RECORD CARD FILING DEVICE Filed March 28. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @j 20 v l JJ "HRW-g-HH-H-H. n-n-IFE-'GDnml-nnH-n-n -n 2z /21 Z 21" /i/ Z211/ S fl . l 6 Zz 13 20 Y v/z Oct.' 9 1923. 1,469,798

A. M. MARTIN 9 REYJCQRD CARD FILING DEVICE i Filed March 28 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 yJe; J7 a@ JJ w EWS VORM 2 9 w 7 Il l l f /i 2122 a \1 2f Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED ASTATES l 1,469,798 PATENT OFFICE. f

ALFRED M. MARTIN, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RECORD-CARD FILIN'e DEVICE.

Application filed March'28, 1921. Serial N'o. 456,117.

To nl] whom t may concern.'

llc it known that l. Atrium M. MARTI/N, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago. ('ook (`ounty, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Record-Card Filing Devices, 0f which the following is a specification.

My present. improvements relate to means for tiling information or record cards or sheets, and in the following description and claims, Whether the term card 0r sheet is employed, it is intended to indicate an individual, unattached piece of thin material in sheet form.

The principal object of the present. invention is to provide simple and compact means for readily filing index record cards with adequate security against misplacement and in such arrangement that the .subject matter of each of the cards may readily be rendered visible and easily be referred to by the user.

A specific object is to provide a filing device in which the index subject matter applied at the top of each of such record cards is rendered easily available tothe users immediate inspection, as to a single card or simultaneously as to a relatively large number of cards, or as to relatively large groups of suc-h cards, Whereby a desired card or cards may readily be selected for further consultation. Another Specific object is to provide a device having the advantages enumerated and according to which the cards may be readil ren'ioved from the device and readily replaced accurately therein. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a filing device or system in which" growth or expansion of the number of record cards or sheets employed is easily and satisfactorily taken care of. It is an object to provide simple and effective means for readily transferring a plurality of thel sheets or cards from one part of the device to another Without disturbing the proper sequence or arrangement of those transferred. It is an object also to provide a highly useful andadvantageous form of record card or sheet which may be used with the herein-i-llustrated filing -device and with devices exemplifying modifications thereof as to the card-holding and adjusting feature. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top plan or face view of the base-,membor of my improved device; Fig. 2 is a. sectional view of the base as on the line of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the tiling device complete, as on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view as on the line 4--1 of Fig, 3, a removable cover not shown in th-e other ligure being added; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of one of the plate-like card supports or partitions; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of. the same parts as those shown in the lower right hand part of Fig. 3; Fig. 7is a facevieiv of a plate-like card-transferring device with a plurality of cards thereon in the act-of heilig transferred; Fig. 8 is a sectional view as on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a frag.

mentary sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective showing an end port-ion of one of t-he two follow-up. plates; and Fig. 11 is an enlarged l I the record cards or the screws 16 extend, this metallic frame having a pair of side upright members 18, the metal of which is turned inward and downward at 19. and this inner member 19 is provided with a plurality of vertical slots 20 at equal spaced-apart distancesvfr'om one end of the base frame to the other-and adapted to receive the ends of a. plurality of cross rods ,21 and 22. shown as metal strips,there being one rod 21 at each end of the series and the rods 22 being between them. The ends of these cross rods or guides 21 and 22 have their upper corners cutaway at 23, Fig. 6 and they are held firmly as part of the main base by a pair of slidable locking rods ,24, one of which is shown as partly withdrawn in Fig. 1. The Withdrawal of these rods 2-1 permits the cross rods or guides 21, 22 to be lifted out of the slots 20 in the base frame, as for purposes of adjustment, and the as-4 sembling of the parts is thus rendered simple and easy. From Figs. l and 4 it lwill be noted that these cross rods 21 and 22 are shown as being positionedin every other one ofthe slots 20 in the base frame l5. In some device, as to accommodate cards or sheets'the cross adaptations of the smaller or larger rods may thus be more readily positioned closer together or more widely apart.v

.The cross rods or guide 21 at each end of the rods serve as guides for a plurality o f card-supporting members, the outer two of which 25-25 are backs or follow-up members and serve as rests for supporting some y of the weight of the intermediate or partition card supports 26.

Each of thefollow-up members 25 oomi prises a substantially flat plate or board 27 vice when in use.

.or board 36 (Fig. 5)

Each ofthe intermediate card supports 26 likewise comprises asubstantially flat plate having secured thereto two -lateral upwardly-extending ribs 37, in

my practice made of wood, each rib 37 extending downward from the top surface of the base to form projections 38 recessed upwardly at 39 to accommodate the guides 21 therein respectively.

It will be noted that the end cross rods or guides 21 have their lower edges respectively serrated at 31 .with alternating teeth and recesses, and from Fig. 6 it will plainly appear that the metal defining the bottom of the slot 3() is on arcuate lines to'provide what is in .effect a low-up .member 25 tooth 32 adapted to enter the recesses of the serrations 31 and hold the folin a given position by such engagement. There is a cooperating rest member 33, in my practice of metal, securedalong the lower outer edge portion of the board or plate 27 whereby the weight of ,v the follow-up member when in its slanting in their longitudinal position illustrated causes a locking action to take place between the 'rest 33, pressing downward upon the guide 21, and the tooth 32 pressing upward`- at the serrations. When the follow-up member 25 isl swung intoa more nearly vertical position it is clear that it may be moved slidingly on the guides 21 directions, this follow: up member being thus mounted for sliding bodily movement and for swinging movement on an axis which is at the top surface of the guide 21, or stated broadly, in the region of the base of the device.

They upright and ribs or lprojections 28 and 37 on the follow-up members 25 and on the intermediate supports 26 [respectively constitute Vspacing means between the adjacent plate-like members whereby when cards er@ between these plate-like members and .letter A, on the next recesses 43 (Fig. 11) ofthe cards.

the contiguous members are lying against each other, pockets or spaces'are formed between the plates for the accommodation of the cards without'rubbing action upon them. These -strips 28 and 37 are also reinforcing members and give suitable strength to the plate structures when made of light weight j and thin material. In my practice these plates are of about one-eighth inch thick pressboard, but sheet metal may well be used. The follow-up members are preferably made somewhat heavier and more sturdy than'is necessary for the intermediate members. y

Fig. 11 shows a novel form of card or sheet 40 used with the present device. It is of rectangular shape in general outline, and

near its normally upper edge there is provided for convenience a heavy line 41 leaving a space between it and the upper edge 42 for indexing information. It is common practice to put indexing location on a filing card. Such indexing information may be the name of a customer, but it well may be the name of some material or any one of a large variety of other kinds of subjectmatter. rllhe edge 42 is herein called the top of the card because the card is normally held by the user with that edge uppermost or away from him when holding the card for consultation. One edge portion of ,the card 40, extending at right angles to the top edge 42 is provided, by a punching operation, with a plurality of recesses 43 which are defined by .a

plurality o'f proJectlons or teeth 44, the re-- cesses 43 being equally spaced apart rthe same distances as are the spaces 20, Fig. 9, in the frame part 19 whereby if cross rods 22 were positioned in each of the recesses 2,0 each of the recesses 43 in date a cross rod. As the device is illustrated every other'recess 43 of the card accommodates a cross rod 22 when the card is operatively vpositioned in the device.

Fig. 4 well illustrates the arrangement of a plurality of the cards 40 in overlapped relation to each other with a portion of each card exposed, the portion normally exposed being that which contains the indexing information; rIhis indexing information is illustrated in Fig. 4 on the first card by the i by the letter B,`etc. From Fig. 4 it will well be seen that each of the cards is held in its properly overlapped relation with respect to the adjacent card `byfmeans of the cross rod-s 22' inI the t is clear that the amount of space exposed for. the indexing information may bevaried simply by arranging y ticular overlapped relation desired.

Ordinarily the relative amount of space for the indexinginformation A, B, C, etc., will be substantially as illustrated in Fig. 4,

the cards in the par# information at this y the card would accolnmol and the heavy line 41 normally just below .ping card.

ation is atsuch a place that when the car s are arranged as from A to Q, Fig. 4,-this dark line 41 will be covered in each instance by the next overlapthe indexing infor Several vnotable features of utility of the devicerare here'pointed out. In the first place itis to be observgd that the indexin information from one end of the series o cards to the other is immediately open to..

inspection when that `series is 'exposedas by laying adjacent ones of the plate-like card supports 26 apart for the purpose, as illustrated in Fig. 3. No handling or manipulation of the cards is required for picking out the one the relation of the other cards to each other.

The card Ataken away may be needed for comparison, as where it contains the signature of a depositor in a bank, or for a consulta- .tion of the considerable amount of data which the card may contain, or for adding new matter to it.

According to Fig. 4 the card ycontaining the indexingr information S, and likewise the card containing the index H-II are shown to have heeni'removed. In these cases the dark line 41 of the next preceding card in each instancfe is exposed. `The device therefore shows at a glance that certain cards are misSi'ng,. and this notification or tellt'ale feature 41 is .valuable in order to keepv a checkon` the outstanding cards. Furthermore when the outstanding cards are returned to the device a glance indicates Iwhere i they respectively;,belong and they can at once be inserted; ill/,their proper positions without disturbing. of lthe relationship of the otherocards. When taking out certain cards and when replacing them it may be desirable simply to lay over upon the adjacent card support some of the overlapping cards, and this can be done by a simplel movementl of the hand. theoverlapped relation of the cards making it possible to swing av largev number of them from vone plate device to the other without disturbing their relationship.

From Figs. 5 and 6 it will be observed that the extensions 38 of the ribs 37 are rounded at the bottom and that they extend considerably below the top surface of the cross rods 2l on which they slide. Each extension 38 has a slot 39 whereby each member QG may be rcadilyj'ilaced and beheld upon the rods 21. and be easily removed. From Fig. 3 it will be observed that the ladjacent extensions 3S. of the adjacentswung-apart card supports 26 are touching each other'at these rounded surfaces. Looking at Fig-3 let us ya considerable assume that before the device had its several parts put into the relative positions there shown the several plate-like card supports and the follow-up members were more nearl vertical, having been forced together by pressure of the hands upon the follow-up de vices so as to get the device in smaller space, and that the .relative posltlons shown in Flg. 3 resulted fromI a desire of the user to consultthecards 40 on the particular plate device'QGt-, ening the bunch of plate devices by retracting laterally-the follow-up devices and causing the several intermediate plate devices to move apartv as illustrated. In performing this last-mentioned operation' the projections 38 of one pla-te device engaging the opposite ones of the other force these devices apart` a. relatively small distance at-'the bottom while they are being moved a relatively great distance apart at the top, thus proj viding desirable space atvthe bottom of the device for the free, consultation of the index subject matter and for freeing the cards from any possible binding action whereby they'V are ,rendered more readily available for any desired purpose. In this connection it is pointed out that although the yfollow-up members 25 may be turned widely' apart and spae may intervene between adjafent ones of the intermediate card supports, there is no danger that the cards will become misplaced, even though they'may adjusttheinselves y.in more slanting direc-tions .by slidlng on the guides 22 for they are engaged so strongly by the cross rods 22 111 this. being accomplished by loosy the recesses 43ofthe cards as to maintain ,the-1n at'all times intheir properrelative positions.

It is sometimes desirable lo transfer a con-- siderable number of cards from lone compartment or spa-ce between adjacent card supports 26 to some other compartment, or from one position to another. in the same compartment, without disturbing the relation to each other of the cards being transferred. This may be accomplished by the hands in many cases, for a considerable number of the ovcrlappedcards can be held se curely that way. I have provided` however,

a transfer device 50 for this purpose, shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and by dotted lines in Fig. 3. It comprises a rectangular plate 51, which may be of thin metal or board havlll ing a length which may well be somewhat l less than that of the members 26, and `which Amay be provided, as at Iits ends, with strengthening ribs 52, this transfer plate having a plurality of pins 53 extending outwardly and arranged in a liney parallel to and near the edgeof the device, the plate preferably carrying several guides 154 having serrations corresponding to those of the cards and similarly adapted to engage some -of the cross rods 22. The pins 53 are so positioned and spaced apart that they will simultaneously enter the holes 54 inthe cards 40 (Fig. ll) when the cards are arranged as in typewrit-ing .transfer Fig. 4. These holes 54 have the further advantage of providing meansfor holdlng the cards or sheets in certain types of binders well known, and they also make the cards available for 'use in certain bookkeeping machines now in use. 'llhese holes are preferably near the serrated edge, but might well be at the opposite edge portion. In Fig. 3 the application of the transfer'plate 50 to the device is shown by dotted lines and from this figure it will bev understood that if the card holder 26a were swung to the right as there viewed the pins 53 would enter the holes 54 andtransfer the cards to the plate 50 and thereupon the plate `with all the cards in their proper relative positions could simply be lifted away and the whole series of cards transferred to some other position. In Fig. 7 I have shown-how` the first fourteen cards have lbeen transferred to the transfer device, and in this in stance it is only necessary for the user to swing these fourteen `cards over upon the device and then lift the whole away. It is not necessary to hold the cards by the hand, although the hand may grasp the cards also if desired as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7. These cards shown in Fig. 7 present their backs or reverse sides to the viewer` their yfaces being against the board 51. y

An important feature of the present construction is that the entire device may conveniently be positioned in a cabinet drawer or a relatively large drawer' in an office desk, or the whole device may conveniently rest upon a'table or desk top and be covered when not in use by the removable lid 55, Fig. 4. Index tabs as56, 57 and 58 may be applied to the several intermediate' card supporting members for ready reference to particular seriesof the cards. It is clear too that the capacity of a particular device is limited only by the length of the guide rods 2l and 22. and that a very considerable number of these intermediateP card supports may be mounted on a relatively narrow base.

large number of cards or sheets may thus be filed in a reasonably small compass, with the advantage that each card may be referred to and selected for further consultation in a very small space of time. The devi'f-'e as thus constructed 1s also, exceedingly simple v and not likely to get out of order. Cards or sheets of various sizes may be used simultaneously in the same device to advantage, as where cards punched to fit upon the cross rods 22 are-used for awhile in anordinary drawer tile and later transferred to the present device. IVhere differently colored cards or sheets are used for different subjects a glance indicates all of the cards which it may be desired to consult. It is pointed I contemplate various changes and modificat1ons from what is specifically illustrated and described, and reference should be had to the appended claims to determine the scope of the improvements herein set forth. I claim: 1. In atiling device, the combination of a substantially flat plate-like card-support, means for holding said support with an edge thereof downward and with the plane of the support at an angle with respect to a vertical line passing therethrough whereby cards may rest thereon, and means for holding in association with. the sup-port a plurality of cards in overlapped re'ation and with a portion of each overlapped card exposed beyond that part thereof which is overlap-pcd by the adjacent card.

2. In a filing device, the combination of a substantially flat base normally horizontally disposed, a substantially fiat plate-like card-support mounted on the-base with an edge thereof adjacent to the base and with the plane of the support at an angle with respect to a vertical line passing therethrough whereby cards may rest thereagainst, and means upon the base for holding in association with the support a plurality of cards in overlapped relation and lwith a portion of each overlapped card`exposed beyond that part thereof which is overlapped by theradjacent card.

3. In 'a filing. device; the combination of a normally horizontal base including a plural-- ity of substantially parallel cardengaging guides, and a substantially flat plate-like card-support mounted on the base in a position transverse of said guides, with an edge of the support adjacent to the base, and with the plane of the support at an angle with respect to a vertical line passing therethrough whereby cards, may rest thereagainst.

4. In a tiling device, the combination of a normally horizontal base including a plurality of substantially parallel card-engaging guides. and a plurality of substantially flat plate-like card-supports in face to face arrangement on the base and extending in directions transverse of said guides. with an edge of each. support adjacent to the base, some of said card supports having spacing means thereon adapted to maintain adjacent ones of the supports in spaced-apart relation substantially the thickness of the cards between them, said supports being mounted for individual relative movement whereby the plane of each support'may be at an angle with respect to a vertical line passing therethrough.

' 5. Ina tiling device for cards` the combination of a base, a plurality ot' partit-ions face 4to face mounted for movement in directions toward and away from each other upon the base, and means for holding a plurality of, cardsv between each adjacent two ot' said partitions with the cards in face to tace al'rangement in overlapped relation and with a portion of eac-h overlapped card` exposed beyond that part thereof which is overlapped by the adjacent card, each partition having spacing means at` its ends adapted to maintain adjacent ones of the partitions in spaced-apart relation to provide room for the cards between them.

6. ln a tiling devicefor cards` the combination of a base including a pair ot' silbstantially horizontal and parallel guides spaced apart. substantially the width of the device` a plurality of partitions tace to tace mounted for swinging` movements toward and away from each other on said guides, and means including a plurality of rods relative'y close to each other, side by side.l substantially parallel with each other and with said guides` and defining a substantially horizontal surta-ce for holding a pluralityy ot notched cards between each adjacent two ot" said partitions with the cards in face to tace arrangement in overlapped relation and with a portion ot each overlapped card exposed beyond that part thereof which is covered bythe adjacent card. y

7. In a filing device for cards, the combination of a base including a pair of substantially horizontal and parallel guides spa-ced apart substantially the width of the device, a plurality of partitions face to face mounted for swmging movements toward and away from each other on said guides,

and means including a plurality of rods relatively close to each other, side by side,

substantiallyparallel with each vother and with said guides, and defining a substantially horizontal surface for holding a pl'urality ofn0tched cards between each adjacent two of said partitions with the cards in face to face arrangement in overlapped relation and with a portion of each overlapped ca-rd exposedbeyond that par-t thereof which is covered by 'the adjacent card, some ot' said partitions having spacing' means for maintainino'` adjacent partitions in spaced-apart relatlon substantially the thickness of the cards between them.

f 8. A card-supporting partition for-a card record vdevice comprising a substantially fiat plate having spacing means near the end potrions thereof adapted to maintain the tition for holding it slidingly and rockingly on a pair ot spaced-apart substantially parallel guides. l 9. A 'card support tor a card recorddevice comprising a substantially flat plate adapted tol he positioned toi' use with an edge downward, the plate having a spacing projection near cach end portion thereof extending away from the plane of the plate and adapted to hold the plate away from an adjacent. plate when in use. a pair ot spacedapart holding members extending downward from the lower edge of the plate when v the. plate is in position for use. cach o'tsaid members having a recess extending upward from the bottom thereof whereby said plate may be positioned for sliding and swinging` movement upon a pair of spaced-apart guides with the guides in said vrecesses respectively.

l0. The con'ibination oi anormally horizontal base including a pairof spaced-apartsuhstantially parallel guides. each of said guides having a plurality of alternating holding grooves and ridges. a follow-up plate mounted edgewise on the base in a position which is transverse ot' said guides and for movement in the longitudinal directions ot the guides. the follow-up device having a pair oi downwardly-direct'ed extensions each ot which is apertured-to receive one of vsaid guides. the guides being iu said apertures respectively. and associated means cooperating with said grooves andA ridges tor hold-- ing the plaie. at various places on the base.

11. The combination ot a substantially horizontal base. a pair of card-holding plate units for a filing device mounted tace to face on said base t'or bodily and swinging movements toward and away from each other, each platevunit comprising asubstantially flat and suljistantia-lly strong and rigid body, each plate unit having a downwardlyextending part below the base. saiddownwardly-extending parts being adapted to coact with each other to force the plate units apart a small distance near the base when the upper` portions of the plate units are swung away from each other a relatively great distance.

12. The combination of a base/'including apair of substantially parallel horizontal rods, a pair of card-holding-plates mounted face to face in up-and-down position transverse of said rods for bodily and swinging movements. toward and away from each otherecards resting on the base between said plates, and means -a-t the bottom portion of each plate adapted to coact to force. t-he lower portions of the plates away from each other a, short distance near said rods when the upper portions of the plates areiswung away from each othera relatively great distance.

.13'. In a filing device of the character dememes scribed, 'the combination of a plurality of push/the plates apart at the bottom portions rods, means for holding-the rods substanthereof. v

t1al ly parallel and normally in horizontal 16. .The .combination of a. substantially.I pos1t1on, a plurality of card-supporting horizontal base, a pair of card-supporting plate-like members in face to face arrangeplates directed edgewise toward the base and ment with each other and each positioned being substantially face to face with respect with its bottom edge close to and above said to each other and extending upward from rods, the body of each plate extending upthe base, means for holding said plates upon ward, a pair of guide-rods for the plates, the base for movement toward and away means carriedl by each plate for holding the from each other bodily while maintaining same upon and 1n sliding relation to said their substantially face to face relation and guide rods, and a plurality of cards in overfor swinging movements away from and t0- lapped relation between the adjacent plates, ward each other on axes which are in the each card having aplurality of spaced-apart l region of the plane of the base, and means recesses in its normally lower edge portions, Carried by each plate adapted to cooperate 7,0 each card being positioned with a plurality with means carried by the other plate for of said irstrmentioned rods in the card reforcing the lower portions of the plates cesses respectively. apart .al relatively .small distance when the 14. A filing device comprising a frame, upper portions of the plates are swung apart means for holding therein a pluralit of a relatively great ydistance on the axes mensubstantially parallel guides normally oritioned. I lzontally disposed, a. plurality of card-sup- 17. A card transferdevic-e comprising a porting plates in face t-o face arrangement plate having a row of card-engaging teeth with respect to eachother and extending in a. line which is adjacent to and parallel in directions transverse of the guides and with an edge of theplate, the teeth re- S0 lbeing positioned edgewlse toward and above speetively extending outwardly from one them, means on thel plates respectively for face of the plate, and means on the plate holding them upon certain of said guides adjacent to said row of -teeth for engaging for bodily movement in directions parallel a plurality of uniformly spaced guides on with the guides andfor swinging movement a base of the character described. S5 into .various up-and-down positions while 518. The combination of a substantially remaining edgewise toward lthe guides, a horizontal base comprising a plurality of plurality of'cards in overlapped relation to spaced-apart substantially parallel rods, a each other between adjacent plates, each pair of card-supporting plates carried by card being formed at its normally lower said rods substantially face to Jface withreedge so as to be engaged and held by a spect to eachother and extending transplurality of said guides. versely of the rods, said plates having means a pair of spaced-apart substantially paralmovement toward and away from each other 15. T he combination of a base including for holding them upon said rods for bodily lel guides normally horizontally disposed, a while maintaining their substantially face pair of'card-supportingplates face to face to face relation and for swinglng moveand lying in respective p anes extending in ments away from and toward each other on directions up and down and transverse of axes whichare in the region of the plane said guides, each plate having a. pair of of the base, a plurality of cards between the normally downwardly extending projections plates and resting on the base, each plate a spaced apart correspondingly to the guides, having an extension below said rods, the exeach projection on one plate being opposite a tension on one plate being adapted to coprojection on the other platez each projecoperate with the extenslon of the other plate tion having an openingv therein for -the acto force the lower A portlon of the plates commodation of the guides respectively, said apart a relatively small dlstance to provide projections extending downwardly beyond greater space for the cards at the base when the guides whereby when the plates are posithe upper portions of the plates are swung tioned in face to face arrangement and the apart a relatively great dlstance on the axes ltop portions are then swung apart the opmentioned.

posite projections will engage each other and ALFRED M. MARTIN. 

